Introduction
For starters, QDOS is not an acronym—it is just a domain for the website activities I got involved in. Before production implementation, I used the domain to describe the types of services provided and as a development and testing area for website and internet support services. I quite like it, though, mainly because “kudos” was not available as a domain when I looked to register it.
Background to QDOS
In 1998, while on an expedition to Alaska in a rigid inflatable boat, I was very impressed to find one of the local native Indians, Israel Shotridge from Ketchikan. He was working on the quayside trading in totem poles over the internet. Wow, back in ’98, this was quite something like the notion of one of the historical methods of communication, the totem pole, and the latest way to tell a story, the internet. He was selling his totems around the world using the internet.
This impressed me no end, especially as this technology was just beginning to take off in the UK around 35 years ago. On my return from Alaska, I became a bit of a pioneer (I guess) of an e-zine, an online magazine devoted to my passion for fast and powerful rigid-hull inflatable boats. As hotRIBS was developed, it wasn’t long before others asked me for help establishing a web presence.
hotRIBS
This website, hotRIBS.com, remains published and has established itself as an authoritative resource (not my words but those of a corporate customer) on these particular types of craft.
Under the banner of QDOS, we supported more than eighty websites: some commercial, some for community and some for fun. My prime interest is in helping small business enterprises and local communities. I’m taking it easy now, and don’t take on any new commissions.